I’m still catching up on some of the pre-funeral royal stuff. I have to say, I expected more embiggening of the new Queen Consort and the new Princess of Wales, but I think Camilla and Kate are biding their time. The embiggening will happen in the weeks and months to come. I also find it curious that there wasn’t a bigger emphasis on Queen Camilla-the-diplomat. I have no idea what Cam is like when she meets world leaders and such, but I bet she can do more than flap her jazz hands and gawp. So why did Kate get tasked with meeting the First Lady of Ukraine at Buckingham Palace on Sunday? The Palace released a photo of the two women speaking in the Palace drawing room. Olena Zelenska had come to London to pay her respects to QEII and (apparently) take some meetings. Why not Camilla? I should point out that William and Kate met President Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena a few years ago, so perhaps that’s why Kate was given this meeting. Still, some embiggening:

[This meeting] was the most outwardly political move Kate has ever made. It was also a solo engagement, made without her husband, Prince William – a choice made more poignant by the fact that Zelenska was attending without her own; President Zelensky having remained in Ukraine on account of the still ongoing conflict with Russia. The meeting is singular for myriad reasons. Not only does it place Kate on a political platform like never before, it is understood to be the only private audience a member of the royal family conducted, outside of the King’s individual meetings with the leaders of nations of which he is now head of state. The choice to send the Princess of Wales for this significant meeting, is notable.

[From Harper’s Bazaar UK]

Is it really that notable? I guess it’s notable that a pair of work-shy 40-year-olds are such diplomatic lightweights, to the point where the new king now has to try to teach both William and Kate some emergency skills like they’re two dumb interns. I also find it notable that after this meeting, Kate changed her clothes and then she was front-and-center at the diplomatic reception, giggling with Camilla and flashing QEII’s pearls and diamonds.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.